Friendship-chain.



J. H. HENKES.

FRIENDSHIP CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13. 1917.

1,53%,598. mama 1m 13, 1912'.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOB:

JUSTUS H. HENKES, OF VINGENNES, INDIANA.

FBIENDSHIP GHAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 191 7.

- Application filed April 13. 1917. Serial No. 161,870.

To all whom it mag concern: 7

Be it known .that I, JUsrUs H. HENKES,

a citizen of the United States, residing at.

Vincennes, in the county of- Knox and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Friendship-Chain, of which the following is a. specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to the type of chain that is composed of links which are connected together, one or more at a time, the invention having reference more particularly to chains of which the several links are contributed by friends of the possessor of the chain, so that such chain may be first used as a bracelet and subsequently when the chain is increased in length as a neck chain whereby to carry a fan or a muff. V

An object of the invention is to provide an improved link of the abovementioned character and means for connecting links together so that they cannot become accidentally separated nor be readily disconnected intentionally one from another. Another object is to provide a chain of the above-mentioned character that shall be so constructed as to permit the various links of the chain, while being worn, to turn or rotate relatively to the others, so that portions of the chain may roll on the wearers garment or be handled freely without the links being liable to become tangled due to knotting or kinking of the connecting devices of the links; a further object being to provide improved connecting devices of such construction that will permit the unskilled to readily connect them together and so as to be permanently locked to the friendship links, which devices shall be inexpensive and reliable and durable and economical in use.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in an improved chain link provided with connecting rings or eyes adapted to be permanently locked to the link, for permanently connecting the links of a chain together and permitting relative turning or rotation of the links; the invention consisting also further in the novel construction and in the parts and combinations ofpa-rtsas hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings,-.Figure 1 is a side view of a chain constructed substan-' tially in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of two of the improved links connected together; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of one of the improved links with which is illustrated two of the improved connectingdevices, 'one of the devices being shown as when being connected to the other; Fig. 4: is a fragmentary central section of the link showing two of the connecting devices of which one is in readiness to be connected to another link; Fig. 5 isan end view of one of the improved links of the many-sided design; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary central section of two of the improved links and two of the connecting devices of which one is connected to one of the links and the other in position as when being connected to the other of the links; Fig. 7 .is an end view of one of the improved links'of cylindrical form; Fig. 8 is any end view of one of the links of triangular'com tour in cross section; Fig. 9 is an end view of one of the improved links having four sides or faces; Fig. 10 is a transverse section of one of the many-sided links having one of the connecting devices locked thereto; Fig. 11 is a perspective view'of one of the connecting devices on an enlarged scale; and, Fig. 12 is a longitudinal central sec tion of one of the improved links having slightly modified ends.

Similar reference characters on the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements, parts or features of construction hereinafter particularly referred to.

The improved chain comprises a number of links having bodies or main portions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 that are connected one to another, each body being hollow or tubular and having an end portion or head on each end thereof. The bodyportions of the links may be variously formed as illustrated, some being hexagonal or many-sided, others having a lesser number of external side faces or panels to receive suitable :engrav:

ing. One body portion 6 has a fiat end or head 9 set in and secured in one end thereof and a similar end or head 10 secured in the opposite end thereof, one end or head having a central aperture 11, the other having a central aperture 12 therein to receive the shank of a connecting ring or eye. An adjacent link body portion 7 has ends'or heads 13 and 14: secured therein that also have central apertures 15 and 16 respec tively. In some cases cylindrical body or main portions 17 are provided having circular ends or heads '18 in each of which is an aperture 19; in other cases three-sided or triangular body portions 20 being provided that have ends or heads 21 which are triangular in plan and have each an aperture 22 therein.

One end of each link is provided with a connecting ring or eye 23, the opposite end being provided with a similar ring or eye 23 each ring or eye having a shank that is inserted in the aperture in an end or head of a link so as to rotate in the aperture and is permanently locked therein. The terminal ring or eye of one terminal link has a ring 24 connected thereto which may be readily connected to the terminal ring or eye of the remaining terminal link to form a continuous chain. Each ring or eye is noncontinuous and has two shank members 25 and 26 that extend from opposite sides of the gap in the ring or eye in spaced apart relation so as to permit the ring or eye ofanother connecting device to pass between the members in order to connect the rings to gether. Each shank member is half round, the inner side opposite to the other member being flat, the outer side being curved convexly, so that when the two members are pressed together they jointly are approximately cylindrical, the ring or eye being composed of wire which is elastic. The shank members have fiat projections 27 and 28 thereon to the ends of which wings 29 and 30 are connected respectively, the projections and the wings being relatively thin and elastic, the wings normally extending along the outer sides of the projections and flaring away from them. The companion ring or eye has similar shank portions 25 and 26 on which are projections 27 and 28 having wings 29 and 30 thereon respectively for connection with a companion link. One ring is readily connected to another by simply forcing with slight pressure the body of one ring between the projections and thence between the shank members of the companion ring. When the shanks are moved into the apertures in the ends of the heads of the links, the ends of the wings which are blunt are opposed to the inside of the ends of the heads adjacent to the aperture, and are not accessible, so that the of very few links may be shanks cannot by hand be released from the link.

In some cases the links 17 may have integral ends or heads 31 and 82 in which are apertures 33 and 34 respectively to receive the shanks of the connecting rings or eyes, such modification being shown in Fig. 12.

In practical use the chain when composed used as commonly by connecting a ribbon or tape to the ends ,of the chain until by repeated additions of links the chain becomes sufficiently long to be used first as a bracelet and subsequently as a neck chain, as will be understood. In case the links happen to be rotated or turned relatively to others, relative rotar movements of the shanks of the rings or eyes is permitted and therefore the chain'does not become kinked and liable Y attempt tostraighten it. is V Having'thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-. T r

1. A friendship chain link comprising a hollow body with an aperture in each of its opposite ends, and a pair .of non-continuous elastic rings, each ring having two shank members that are inserted into one of the apertures and said shank members being provided each with an elastic wing sprung away from the shank member to engagement with the inside of the end of the link.

2. A friendship chain link comprising a hollow body and two end portions with an aperture'in each end portion, and two noncontinuous rings, each ring having two shank members that elastically stand apart to permit another ring to pass between them, each of the shank members having a flat projection thereon and a flat elastic wing on the end of the projection and extending back toward the ring and outwardly, the shank members and the wings being inserted into one of said apertures and the ends of the wings engaging the inside of the'end portion'of the hollow body to non-removably retain the shank members in the aper mm.

3., A chain comprising links, each link consisting of a hollow body portion and two end portions with a central aperture in each end portion, and a ring for each end portion, each ring having a shankthat is insertible into one of the apertures to rotate therein, the shank having wings thereon that are elastic to spring away from the shank to the inside of the end portion of the link, each wing having a terminal end to inaccessibly engage the end portion and permanently connect the ring to the link.

4. In a friendship chain, the combination with a plurality of links, each link being hollow with an aperture in each of its opposite ends, of a pair of non-continuous elastic rings connected together, each ring having to be broken'in an two shank members that are half-round and ably retain said shank members in said ap- 1O elastically stand apart to permit another erture.

ring to pass between them, each of said In testimony whereof, I affix my signature members having a flat projection thereon in presence of two Witnesses.

and an elastic Wing 0n the projection having a blunt end, said shank members being in- JUSTUS HENKES serted in one of the said apertures to rotate Witnesses:

therein, said blunt ends being adapted to EDGAR J. JULIAN,

engage the end of the link and non-remov- RAY A. STONE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

